Sheffield United v Brighton: Premier League – live | Premier League

Boos greeted the half-time whistle, presumably aimed at referee Attwell and VAR. However much you dislike the technology, it’s done its job in this match so far.

HT: Sheffield United 0-2 Brighton

45 mins + 6: A looping header from Dunk lands on the top of the crossbar, via a good palm from Foderingham. Dunk then has a swing at the next corner, but it’s blocked.

Sheffield United are hanging on for just the two-goal deficit before half-time.

45 mins + 5: After that brief soap opera, it’s now back to the norm: Brighton pressure. Pass, pass, pass.

We’re now (well) into seven minutes of first half added time, by the way.

45 mins + 1: It seems VAR was checking for a foul, rather than a handball, as Stuart Attwell is encouraged to look to his monitor. Osborn couldn’t be given offside from the final touch, as it came off Brighton player to deflect his way.

But he is flagged offside for his positioning from the initial header by Souza. No goal it is and Sheffield United’s rotten luck this afternoon goes on.

VAR check on this … naturally. I don’t see a handball here, I won’t lie to you.

44 mins: A rare foray forward from the home side brings about a corner, with McAtee ploughing a lone furrow to buy the challenge from Van Hecke and win his team that set piece. It’s turned home by Osborn – but the referee blows up for a handball. No goal!

42 mins: Welbeck mistimes his header after latching onto another accurate cross from Lamptey. Sheffield United’s heads are spinning now, such is the amount of defending they’re doing.

40 mins: Adingra blasts a powerful volley over the bar as the angle tightened. He made that chance with a clever touch for himself.

Some context on the booing of Mitoma from Blades’ fan Michael Guest:

I’m sat in the Kop, Mitoma is being booed for his outrageous dive (or so it seemed from here) just before the second goal, rather than the red card incident.

Fair enough, Michael, although I think it could have been a penalty.

38 mins: On the pitch, it’s wave after wave of Brighton pressure, although they’re now hitting a red and white wall when they get to the 18-yard line, in fairness to Sheffield United.

More chip butty chat, as Tom Stratford emails in:

Hey Dom, How much do you think Guardian MBM readers can crowdfund over half-time to try and successfully incentivise Mason Holgate to have his early bath, come back out, and then sit on the bench for the second half casually chewing on a chip butty?

No, probably couldn’t pay me enough either …

Chris Wilder would spontaneously combust, given his dislike of sarnie-eaters.

35 mins: Mitoma is getting booed by the majority inside Bramall Lane. Someone please show them the replay of Holgate’s red card …

34 mins: Sheffield United cannot escape. There’s not even any plans to escape. It’s more like bunkering down and hoping for minimal damage right now. Yet Brighton look in no mood to go easy on their hosts today.

An email from Rick Harris, who saw this Seagulls’ onslaught coming when I mentioned Sheffield United’s pre-match song:

Anyone who has ever been daft enough to sit on a seafront bench at Brighton with a greasy chip butty will know that you get bombed by seagulls, so expect Sheffield carnage!

31 mins: Souza steams into Gilmour on the edge of the Blades’ box and Brighton want further punishments for the hosts’ players. Nothing doing this time: firm but fair from the Brazilian.

Auston Trusty has replaced Osula for the home side, yes a central defender for the sole striker. A 5-4-0 formation now?

28 mins: Mitoma is having a day out, running at Bogle, slaloming this way and then that, and Brighton nearly have a third. It’s pinball in the box and hacked clear.

Then Brighton went one, two.

This is the reason Sheffield United are being cut open so easily. Dreadful from Holgate, really.

26 mins: Sheffield United were trying to be brave after the concession of the goal, but they left far too much space at the back for Mitoma to ghost into. He was found, slid in the shot, then Welbeck picked up the pieces after Foderingham’s parry.

Tell you what, Brighton could have had a penalty before the goal too. McAtee with a fairly blatant push on Mitoma.

GOAL! Sheffield United 0-2 Brighton (Welbeck, 25)

23 mins: It’s nearly an instant equaliser for the home side after a brilliant run from Hamer, dropping the shoulder and sitting a couple of defenders down. Verbruggen then catches easily from the resulting corner.

22 mins: Dunk nodded it back across goal and it was all a bit of a mess in the six-yard box as Buonanotte stopped to head in – and it did cross the goalline via a deflection or two.

GOAL! Sheffield United 0-1 Brighton (Buonanotte, 21)

20 mins: Dunk and Webster are able to step into midfield, and the former whips it in from the left and it’s been missed by both Welbeck and Buonanotte at the back post. It somehow goes out for a corner.

18 mins: It’s actually been Adingra, rather than Gross, who has been pulling out to the right wing-back position and the Ivorian has been putting in a number of teasing crosses from that side.

Sheffield United defend them well this time.

15 mins: We’ve got a delay now, as Wes Foderingham goes down clutching his foot. It’s a chance for Wilder to gather his players in around the dugout area, presumably to lay out a new set of tactical instructions.

14 mins: Chris Wilder was absolutely fuming with Holgate as the on-loan Everton defender trudged off the pitch.

Sheffield United’s task just got a whole lot more difficult.

RED CARD! Holgate (Sheffield United)

11 mins: Brighton are keen to slow the tempo down, composing themselves after a frenetic start from both teams.

Mitoma is on the receiving end of a hefty Holgate challenge, with both sets of players surrounding the referee, Brighton wanting a red, Sheffield United claiming Holgate won the ball. VAR is looking …

9 mins: Buonanotte goes down after a naughty late one from Osborn, but he looks to be fine to continue.

7 mins: Foderingham sprawls and just about stops an own goal from Ahmedhodzic as Welbeck lurks to get onto Adingra’s cross from the right. It’s just as well that Ahmedhodzic did stretch out his leg, even if he was periloulsy close to finding his own net.

6 mins: It’s Lamptey at left wing-back and Gross on the right so far for Brighton. It’s been a bit scrappy as Webster times a good challenge on the edge of his own box.

4 mins: Brighton’s blend of black, white and fluorescent green makes their away kit a bit of an eyesore. They’ve established some control of possesion now.

2 mins: Not a bad start for Sheffield United as Jayden Bogle smashes one goalwards and forces a save from Verbruggen.

No Cameron Archer or Ben Brereton Díaz for Sheffield United will make things difficult for the hosts, you’d imagine. But this is positive.

KICK OFF

Here come the players out of the tunnel and we’ll get a loud rendition of that superb Sheffield United pre-match song, Greasy Chip Butty. Always excellent.

Tom Lockyer is looking well and is a guest pundit on Sky Sports this afternoon, ahead of Luton v Manchester United later. He watched Sheffield United pick apart the Hatters last weekend – to everyone’s surprise – and credits the Blades with keeping Ross Barkley very quiet in midfield. I wonder if Wilder has a similar hatchet plan for one or two Brighton players today. If they can shackle Mitoma, for example, they’ll have a chance. But then you have to keep tabs on Gilmour, and Gross, and Adingra …

This guy is one of the most underrated players in the Premier League, honestly.

What price a Sheffield United win today, then? I’m a little surprised Brighton aren’t even bigger favourites according to the bookmakers, but there you go. Here are the odds via OLBG:

• Sheffield United 18/5

• Draw 16/5

• Brighton 4/6

Brighton’s women are currently in action, facing Liverpool in the WSL, with the visitors just going ahead through Ceri Holland. Follow it here if you fancy:

Team news analysis: It could well be that both sides are plumping for five (or three) at the back – depending on whether Pascal Gross plays as a wing-back for Brighton or not. It must be said, that Seagulls’ squad looks very strong on paper, with Fati, Evan Ferguson and Pervis Estupiñán all on the bench.

Sheffield United’s injury toll shows in the strength of their side, with the untested young striker Will Osula leading their line, although he has scored three goals in the FA Cup this season, while McBurnie is at least deemed fit enough for the bench.

Team news

Preamble